S peters co



Patented lan. 3, |899.

No. '617,250.v

F. ISBELL.

MANDOLIN.

(Application filed Aug. 3, 1897.)

(No Model.)

TN: nofws ravens co., PHoTcLLlTHo., wnsN'NGYDN. nA c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

^ FRANK ISBELL, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

MANDOLIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,250, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed August 8x 1897.

To a/ZZ whom t may ccm/cern,.-

Be it known that I, FRANK IsBELL, a citizen of Italy, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mandolins g and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an 4 improvement in the manufacture of mandolins and similar stringed instruments, and relates more especially to the sounding-board and particular manner of ornamenting the same.

IIeretofore it has been customary in the manufacture of mandolins and similar instruments to make the sounding-board entirely of wood and ornament the edges, including the sound-hole, by striping or painting the wood and covering the same with a varnish and by veneers let into the sounding-board near the edges thereof. This manner of ornamenting the sounding-board is objectionable in that it is not permanent, being susceptible to wear, and noting this objection I have improved the sounding-board by providing the edges of the same withk composite strips of paper of different colors, which are cemented together and to the edges of the soundingboard, presenting the marginal lines or ornamental edgings,

In the following specification I have entered into a description of the invention, and what I claim as new is particularly set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the mandolin. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the soundingboard.

In carrying out Vmy invention I take a number of strips of paper of different colors corresponding with the character of lines desired, the said strips being first subjected to considerable pressure, makin g them compact, after which they are glued together side by side and applied to the edges of the soundingboard by glue or other cement. This construction forms an edging for mandolins, which will give the lines an ornamental ap- Serial No. 646,899. (No model.)

pearance similar to that acquired by striping or forming the ornamental edgings of veneer.

Referring to the drawings by reference-numerals, 1 designates the main portion of the sounding-board, which is made up of wood and given the usuall configuration, including the usual sound-hole, the composite strips of paper of the same width as the thickness of the sounding-board, and designated by the numerals 2 and 3, being applied to the outer edges of the board and to the edges of the sound-hole in the manner heretofore stated, after which the board and the strips are varnished and polished in the usual manner. This manner of giving an ornamental linish to the sounding-board of a mandolin or other stringed instrument forms stripes which eX- tend the thickness of the board, and consequently the wear to which the edges are subjected will not remove the ornamental stripes extending, as they do, through the entire thickness of said board.

I am aware that it is not new to provide veneers or purflings of layers of wood, cardboard, or other material; but so far as I am aware it has not been proposed to form the edges of the sounding-boards of mandolins and similar instruments of narrow strips of compressed paper extending the full thickness of the board, the usual practice being to inlay the ornamental edgings.

Having thus described the invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An improved sounding-board for mandolins and similar musical instruments, comprising the wooden board proper and thin variegated strips of compressed paper cemented or united to each other and to the outer edges of the board, the said strips being of a width equal to the thickness of the board, as herein particularly shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK ISBELL. Witnesses:

FRANCESCO NAEI, RAFFAELE GRECO. 

